or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
11 used & new from $43.03

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People (CD-ROM)

~ Christian Aubert (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)

Price: $49.95 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Thursday, November 12? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
6 new from $49.95 5 used from $43.03

Frequently Bought Together

SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People + SmartFrench Audio CDs  Beginner Level + SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced
Price For All Three: $134.85

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People by Christian Aubert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • SmartFrench Audio CDs Beginner Level by Christian J. Aubert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced by Christian J. Aubert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced

SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced

by Christian J. Aubert
4.3 out of 5 stars (60)  $39.95
SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1

SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1

by Christian Aubert
4.3 out of 5 stars (12)  $24.99
SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.2

SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.2

by Christian Aubert
5.0 out of 5 stars (4)  $24.99
The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice (UItimate Review & Reference Series)

The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice (UItimate Review & Reference Series)

by Ronni L. Gordon
5.0 out of 5 stars (20)  $10.88
Easy French Reader

Easy French Reader

by R. De Roussy de Sales
4.7 out of 5 stars (41)  $8.60
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

I consider this CD-ROM a marvellous rendition of a brilliantly simple idea. -- Ian Jackson (Colleyville, Texas)

I was impressed with your teaching methodology, particularly with the emphasis you place on the correct pronunciation of contractions. -- Scott Tingley, One World Language Solutions, Dallas

I've tried them all and this one is IT!!! SmartFrench is by far the best. I wholeheartedly recommend it!!! -- Joe Hogan, CBS, December 4, 2003

It really gave my confidence a boost, and gave me hope that I actually can be fluent in this language. -- Mary Pat Avery, Post Production Manager, Los Angeles

SmartFrench has created a unique and effective way to learn. My last trip to France was an entirely different experience! -- Judi Irving, CEO, HemaCare Corporation, California

This is the first learning program that made me laugh! Thanks to SmartFrench for creating such a good product. --Brad Bunnin


Product Description

WindowsNT/98/2000/95/XP/MacOSX

- For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced
- Repetition of excerpts of complete conversations
- CD-Rom with booklet containing actual transcripts of French natives
- Color-coding shows what is and what is not pronounced in spoken French
- Successfully used in American Embassies

"This CD Rom is a "Must" for learning how the French REALLY talk!"
William Martin, retired political editor, The Oakland Tribune

"I've tried them all and this one is it!"
Joe Hogan, CBS

"When I heard my first lesson I honestly felt betrayed by my other programs --why didn't they simply tell the truth about French pronunciation like SmartFrench does?"
Patricia J. Gust, Attorney, Los Angeles, CA

For Americans, learning a foreign language is typically a very frustrating experience. After spending countless hours in a classroom environment, most find that they are still unable to comprehend "real world" French as it is naturally spoken between native French people.

To learn a language one has to develop speaking as well as understanding skills. What to do first is a matter of choice. To learn a few sentences to get by is good but to understand what’s coming back to you is also important. SmartFrench will develop your listening skills, which will raise your confidence to speak naturally (Just learning basic sentences would make you sound too "proper"). For better progress, this process should be done simultaneously and the sooner the better, right at the beginner level. Some people think that developing understanding skills should be a part of the beginner level training and some don’t. For those who think it is, we have designed a beginner level. A beginner is naturally not expected to be able to understand dialogs at real speed right away, but with a little patience, you will soon feel more and more confident about your ability to "talk" French just by learning how to recognize the "rhythm" of the language and its predictable patterns.

There are seven interviews at the beginner level and six interviews at the intermediate and at the advanced levels. You will practice slowly at the beginner level and faster on the next two levels. On the booklet, the transcripts of the conversations are in colors to show you what is and what is not pronounced in spoken French. The lessons are organized interactively so that you can work at your own pace, pausing or rewinding at any time. At any level and at any time you can watch the video and read the translation before you work on the interview you have chosen.

We are so confident in your success using our revolutionary educational method, we stand behind this product with a full 30 day money back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, simply return the product to SmartFrench in its original packaging for a full refund.

"I have three other French language courses, and I've learned more from this one than I have the others put together."
Cynthia Stull, Washington, DC, writes contracts for the National Cancer Institute, for the AIDS programs around the world

"No matter what other sources you use in your language learning, the Smart thing to do is give yourself this key to confidence."
Ian Jackson, CEO, Breathplay, Dallas


Product Details

  • CD-ROM: 64 pages
  • Publisher: SmartFrench (October 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 097294740X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0972947404
  • Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.1 x 2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #464,039 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People
32% buy the item featured on this page:
SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People 4.5 out of 5 stars (55)
$49.95
SmartFrench Audio CDs  Beginner Level
29% buy
SmartFrench Audio CDs Beginner Level 4.1 out of 5 stars (99)
$44.95
SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced
17% buy
SmartFrench Audio CDs Intermediate/Advanced 4.3 out of 5 stars (60)
$39.95
SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1
14% buy
SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1 4.3 out of 5 stars (12)
$24.99

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(19)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

55 Reviews
5 star:
 (45)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (55 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Improved my listening comprehension greatly, October 21, 2006
By A. J. Christian (Charlottesville, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
The hardest--and certainly most crucial--part of learning any language is how to properly speak and to understand when others are speaking to you. You can certainly learn every last word and grammar rule in the French language, to the point that you can read the complete works of Victor Hugo in the original French, but if you can't understand when a Parisian asks you what time it is, you might as well not speak any French!

With each lesson, you are slowly taken through an excerpt of an interview with an authentic French person, some of whom are highly prominent individuals in government, fashion, etc. while others are "regular people." This diversity of interviewees is one of the highlights of this program, as the Achilles heel of many audio programs is that there may be just one or two speakers, usually one male and one female. In this program, however, you're provided over ten male and over five female speakers, giving you a much wider range of voices and speaking styles. Furthermore, the interviews are all very informal, so instead of the nameless male voice of another program speaking sentences in a typically over-enunciated and "proper" (ie. unrealistic) manner, you're seeing and hearing French people speaking like they do when they're just lounging around the house.

The layout of the program is very basic, but effective nonetheless. (I'm always willing to trade flashy animations for effective instruction!)

There are a few hiccups in the program, though they are quite minor. A couple of times when Mr. Aubert is going over the text, especially when it's the section of the lesson where he's pausing about twice a sentence, he sometimes skips a sentence. This led to a little bit of confusion, as I was of course expecting a completely different sentence, but it only happens a few times, and he goes over every interview several times, so even if he accidentally skips over a sentence in one section of a lesson, he's undoubtedly already said it for you in an earlier section or will not miss it in the next section (as I wrote above, it almost universally happens only during the stop-and-start sections--he quite obviously just lost his place a few times).

Another small issue is that the English translations could use quite a bit of polishing. For some of the lessons, I found it actually more confusing to read the English translation than to just try to figure out the French! But since this is a program to help you with your French and not to teach you English, it's of negligible concern to me.

In all, I wholeheartedly recommend this program. It's deceptively simple and effective in improving your listening comprehension. There are a few issues that exhibit an unfortunate lack of polish, but they are small defects in a very effective program.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars THE FRENCH WHISPERER!, March 18, 2006
By Patricia J (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
If you want to be like the majority of Americans who have taken a foreign language in high school or college and can hardly decipher a word of conversational French then Smart French is not for you. On the other hand, if you feel that the value of learning a foreign language is to understand NATIVE speakers and hear the language as it is actually spoken then Smart French is a MUST buy. This program will completely demystify the art to French spoken language--and it is an art. When I heard my first lesson I honestly felt betrayed by my other programs--why didn't they simply tell the truth about French pronunciation like Smart French does? That is why if you have had years of instruction or not even one French lesson this program will benefit you.

You get a booklet with the written dialogues, the alphabet, and helpful pronunciation tips. You also get a a CD software program which effortlessly takes you through a rich library of interesting conversations. You can watch the video and audio together or listen to the audio alone. The secret to Smart French is that it breaks it down for you--lesson by lesson. One of the most important things in learning a language is to utilize your listening skills--something that had always terrified me until Smart French. Go through each dialogue step by step and you will lose your fear and finally gain the confidence to trust your ears. Then pick up your old language books, tapes, and French movies and you will be amazed when you finally understand the speech patterns. I highly recommend this program--ENJOY!
Comment Comments (2) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Tried them all -- FINALLY something that works, June 8, 2004
By A Customer
With an impending vacation to Paris, I wanted to become familiar with the French language, having never studied it before. I've read and listened to nearly every major French language program out there, including Barron's, Berlitz, Michel Thomas, Living Language French, Teach Yourself French and Instant Immersion. Smart French is by far the best, both in value and in what it teaches. I couldn't understand why after studying these other methods, when I watched a French film, I could understand little to nothing of what was being said. After purchasing Smart French and working each of the interactive lessons, I finally get it. What is taught in the textbooks is not the way the French actually speak. They contract so much that the written French is quite different from the spoken French!

A child learns a language first by hearing it spoken and mimicking the sounds, then by attaching meaning to the words. This is what Smart French does. It teaches you to hear first, repeat the sounds that you hear and translate later. First you learn to hear, then speak and finally to understand. All the other methods teach basically the same way and method, while Smart French is very different. I wholeheartedly recommend Smart French!!!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Language Program I Have Tried
I took three years of French in high school over twenty years ago, and I recently decided to take up the language once again. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Cal Bear

5.0 out of 5 stars Enormously helpful if you want to understand and be understood.
This is a one-of-a-kind fantastic product!
It takes you beyond the stilted academic classroom into real life! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brooke Mcadam

5.0 out of 5 stars Great product
Very few people are able to realise a great product. It needs awareness, imagination, creativity and talent. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Maria A. Florentino

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Learning Concept
You won't find a better way to learn French and learn it quickly than SmartFrench. I took 2 years of French in high school and two in college but couldn't speak it or understand... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Michael M

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes to Smart


I tried a few French courses a couple of years ago and I learned a few things. But from reading the reviews, I decided to go ahead and buy the Smart French... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Glenn Vinzant

2.0 out of 5 stars Save your money
If you want to learn French, save your money this is not the way. I studied French 6 years in school and lived in France. Read more
Published 4 months ago by vitanova

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnifique!
I received my order of both Smart French CD Rom and the Smart French Intermediate & Advanced Level. I purchased both based on all of the positive reviews. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Ayya

5.0 out of 5 stars innovative and enjoyable
This is a unique and innovative method to learn how to listen to the spoken French just as it is used in real conversations. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Bert

1.0 out of 5 stars Awfully misleading.
Not bad if you're just working on accent, but there is no attempt at grammar or even the meaning of what you are saying. Read more
Published 11 months ago by A. Davis

5.0 out of 5 stars The best foreign language method -- and I've tried a few
SmartFrench and SmartSpanish at first glance may appear unorthodox. Their method is so different from the "standard" foreign language teaching techniques that most Americans are... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jordan Mechner

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
System requirements 1 December 2006
See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Recommendations for a true beginner to French? 17 19 days ago
Search Customer Discussions
   




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.